Qaim blasts Nisar for ignoring him in security moot

| Says Centre not providing any practical help in Karachi operation either | Announces compensation for martyred, injured of airport attack

KARAcHI - Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has complained that federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan did not even bother to invite him as chief executive of the province in post-airport attack meeting to review the security strategy of sensitive installations in the city. “Though, I was present at the airport whole night, till elimination of all the terrorists... but unfortunately neither Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif nor Interior Minister Ch Nisar contacted me to get the overview of the situation”, he complained at a hurriedly called press conference at CM Secretariat on Monday.Shah said that the interior minister through his private secretary did talk with his principle secretary and expressed his willingness to meet him (CM) today (Monday) but later the federal minister changed the programme and held a meeting at Karachi airport where “I was not invited”.Declaring that security of the Karachi airport comes in the federal domain, the CM underlined that there should be close contact between the federal interior minister and provincial government to share the views and strategy for the security of the people and important installations.To a question, he confirmed that threat to the Karachi airport was in knowledge of the provincial government as federal interior ministry from time to time was informing them about the possible terror attacks on the sensitive installations in Karachi and other parts of the province, besides threat to lives of important personalities.Meanwhile, CM Qaim Ali Shah has announced financial compensation for the heirs of martyred soldiers of Rangers, Sindh Police and Airport Security Force (ASF). He announced Rs2 million for the heirs of martyred Rangers’ soldier, and Rs1 million for each martyred of ASF and Police personnel. One lac rupees compensation was announced for each injured of the airport attack.The chief minister said that though this money cannot be substitute for the precious lives but it is awarded as a token of encouragement and acknowledgment of their sacrifice that they rendered for the national cause.Shah paid rich tributes to the Pak Army, Rangers, Sindh Police and Airport Security Force (ASF) for successfully conducting the operation against the terrorists, terming it highly commendable and audacious action act on part of these forces, which not only saved all installations, airplanes, and passengers at the airport but also killed all the terrorists.CM Sindh said that terrorists are attacking to weaken the forces but such coward attacks could not succeed, on the contrary it has further strengthened the spirit and courage of ‘our forces’. He said Sindh government was determined to eradicate the menace of terrorism completely.Shah reminded that Taliban during their talks with the federal government had said that they will not spare Sindh government, which successfully clamped down on them. He said that police and Rangers by arresting and recovering the explosive material from Taliban and other terrorists had foiled many attempts of attacks on the sensitive installations.CM Sindh also came down hard on the federal government for ignoring the development projects of the Sindh province in federal PSDP, saying that the Islamabad has allocated a meagre amount of Rs11 billion in the PSDP of fiscal 2014-15, which is even less than Rs18 billion allocation of outgoing fiscal year.On this occasion, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon held federal government of PML-N irresponsible and termed it non-serious in tackling the overall law and order situation. He said that federal government, especially the prime minister himself, announced all out support to make success the ongoing targeted operation against the criminals and terrorists in Karachi but Centre has not provided practical support in form of arms and ammunitions for the LEAs.

This news was published in The Nation newspaper. Read complete newspaper of 10-Jun-2014 here.